Freddie to return at the home of cricket?
May 9, 2008
Find some ice. Crack open a bottle of Pimms and dust off your finest sun hat- the cricket summer is here. The First International Test at Lords is set to commence next Thursday the 15th of May, always an indication that we have arrived at the English summer season. Though no doubt with this being England, rather than glorious sunshine, dodgy hats and sunburn, we may well get infuriating rain, umbrellas and a chesty cold. England play New Zealand having beaten the Kiwis relatively comfortably 2-1 on their own patch a few months ago. The tourists have arrived in this country with little or no fanfare, trickling into English airports sometime individually due to their IPL commitments. Daniel Vettori, the Kiwi’s skipper, has been at pains to stress that his side are fully focused on New Zealand matters and not on the fireworks, excitement and cheerleaders of the Indian game.
The tourists arrive with a core of talented players. Ross Taylor is young but has plenty of grit and natural talent. Hamish Marshall is well suited to the English game from his time with Gloucestershire, and in Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori Brendon Mcullum and Tim Southee, they have 4 very exciting genuine all rounders who can change a game at the drop of an MCC member’s monocle. But they also have major weaknesses. The selectors clearly don’t know who to open the batting with- the selection of Matthew Bell for the home series was a disaster and Jamie How was inconsistent. Their bowling attack isn’t particularly intimidating- Chris Martin’s bowling resembles his namesake’s music- it’s good, but it doesn’t get you dancing around. They have a lot of bowlers who bowl in similar ways- the same pace, lines and length. Though English conditions will aid their seamers more than if they were at home, a lot of the burden will have to rest with the wily bespectacled spinner Vettori.
So to England then and one story that will help spice up a series that hasn’t got the magnetism of an Ashes series is the reemergence of Andrew Flintoff. It is generally assumed that England will (or certainly should) win the test series but the manner and style in which they do so could rest heavily on Flintoff’s shoulders. His bowling for Lancashire since the season has started has been excellent by all accounts- pacy and troublesome. His batting has looked fragile though, with only 68 runs in 6 innings, including a couple of first ball ducks, casting doubt on whether he can still get back to his best. Cast your mind back to the World cup in the West Indies and the Twenty20 World cup- Flintoff looked a shadow of his former self with a bat in his hand. This doesn’t seem to be a blip, more of a serious trough. His bowling though has prompted Justin Langer to come out and say he is the best fast bowler playing international cricket today- very high praise. His slip catching is also a big asset, something England have missed greatly in the last few months. And what other England cricketer makes an appearance on Friday night with Jonathan Ross? There’s no doubting it- Flintoff is a cracking player, he attracts spectators and also comes across as being a nice, unassuming family man. Will the selectors bring back one of the most recognised faces in world cricket? Sir Ian Botham and Michael Atherton say it is too soon, that the Lancastrian needs to play more county cricket. I think the England selectors will pick him, on his sheer ability as a bowler and outstanding fielder and if he gets runs, well then that’s a freddie bonus.
England’s likely line up I think will be…
Cook
Vaughan
Strauss
Pieterson
Bell
Collingwood
Flintoff
Ambrose
Broad
Sidebottom
Panesar
Hoggard
The only questions seem to be over who partners Cook- either Vaughan or Strauss and whether Hoggard should return in place of the erratic but sometimes brilliant James Anderson. For me, after being England’s best bowler consitently over the last few years, Hoggard should return. He has a chance to prove himself as the England Lions are currently New Zealand in a warm up encounter. Hoggard dismissed 3 batsmen in the 1st innings, though they were all tailenders.
What do you think? Should Freddie be in on current form? Does Hoggard merit a return? Let me know, leave a comment!
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